Collaboration in Augmented Reality: How to establish coordination and joint attention?

Schnier C, Pitsch K, Dierker A, Hermann T. Collaboration in Augmented Reality: How to establish coordination and joint attention? In: Boedker S, Bouvin NO, Lutters W, Wulf V, Ciolfi L, eds. Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work (ECSCW 2011). Springer-Verlag London; 2011: 405-416.We present an initial investigation from a semi-experimental setting, in which an HMD-based AR-system has been used for real-time collaboration in a task-oriented scenario (design of a museum exhibition). Analysis points out the specific conditions of interacting in an AR environment and focuses on one particular practical problem for the participants in coordinating their interaction: how to establish joint attention towards the same object or referent. Analysis allows insights into how the pair of users begins to familarize with the environment, the limitations and opportunities of the setting and how they establish new routines for e.g. solving the ʻjoint attentionʼ-problem

Dynamic Hand Gesture-Featured Human Motor Adaptation in Tool Delivery using Voice Recognition

Human-robot collaboration has benefited users with higher efficiency towards interactive tasks. Nevertheless, most collaborative schemes rely on complicated human-machine interfaces, which might lack the requisite intuitiveness compared with natural limb control. We also expect to understand human intent with low training data requirements. In response to these challenges, this paper introduces an innovative human-robot collaborative framework that seamlessly integrates hand gesture and dynamic movement recognition, voice recognition, and a switchable control adaptation strategy. These modules provide a user-friendly approach that enables the robot to deliver the tools as per user need, especially when the user is working with both hands. Therefore, users can focus on their task execution without additional training in the use of human-machine interfaces, while the robot interprets their intuitive gestures. The proposed multimodal interaction framework is executed in the UR5e robot platform equipped with a RealSense D435i camera, and the effectiveness is assessed through a soldering circuit board task. The experiment results have demonstrated superior performance in hand gesture recognition, where the static hand gesture recognition module achieves an accuracy of 94.3\%, while the dynamic motion recognition module reaches 97.6\% accuracy. Compared with human solo manipulation, the proposed approach facilitates higher efficiency tool delivery, without significantly distracting from human intents.Comment: This work has been submitted to the IEEE for possible publication. Copyright may be transferred without notice, after which this version may no longer be accessibl

Gaze and Peripheral Vision Analysis for Human-Environment Interaction: Applications in Automotive and Mixed-Reality Scenarios

This thesis studies eye-based user interfaces which integrate information about the user’s perceptual focus-of-attention into multimodal systems to enrich the interaction with the surrounding environment. We examine two new modalities: gaze input and output in the peripheral field of view. All modalities are considered in the whole spectrum of the mixed-reality continuum. We show the added value of these new forms of multimodal interaction in two important application domains: Automotive User Interfaces and Human-Robot Collaboration. We present experiments that analyze gaze under various conditions and help to design a 3D model for peripheral vision. Furthermore, this work presents several new algorithms for eye-based interaction, like deictic reference in mobile scenarios, for non-intrusive user identification, or exploiting the peripheral field view for advanced multimodal presentations. These algorithms have been integrated into a number of software tools for eye-based interaction, which are used to implement 15 use cases for intelligent environment applications. These use cases cover a wide spectrum of applications, from spatial interactions with a rapidly changing environment from within a moving vehicle, to mixed-reality interaction between teams of human and robots.In dieser Arbeit werden blickbasierte Benutzerschnittstellen untersucht, die Infor- mationen ¨uber das Blickfeld des Benutzers in multimodale Systeme integrieren, um neuartige Interaktionen mit der Umgebung zu erm¨oglichen. Wir untersuchen zwei neue Modalit¨aten: Blickeingabe und Ausgaben im peripheren Sichtfeld. Alle Modalit¨aten werden im gesamten Spektrum des Mixed-Reality-Kontinuums betra- chtet. Wir zeigen die Anwendung dieser neuen Formen der multimodalen Interak- tion in zwei wichtigen Dom¨anen auf: Fahrerassistenzsysteme und Werkerassistenz bei Mensch-Roboter-Kollaboration. Wir pr¨asentieren Experimente, die blickbasierte Benutzereingaben unter verschiedenen Bedingungen analysieren und helfen, ein 3D- Modell f¨ur das periphere Sehen zu entwerfen. Dar¨uber hinaus stellt diese Arbeit mehrere neue Algorithmen f¨ur die blickbasierte Interaktion vor, wie die deiktis- che Referenz in mobilen Szenarien, die nicht-intrusive Benutzeridentifikation, oder die Nutzung des peripheren Sichtfeldes f¨ur neuartige multimodale Pr¨asentationen. Diese Algorithmen sind in eine Reihe von Software-Werkzeuge integriert, mit de- nen 15 Anwendungsf¨alle f¨ur intelligente Umgebungen implementiert wurden. Diese Demonstratoren decken ein breites Anwendungsspektrum ab: von der r¨aumlichen In- teraktionen aus einem fahrenden Auto heraus bis hin zu Mixed-Reality-Interaktionen zwischen Mensch-Roboter-Teams

A gaze-contingent framework for perceptually-enabled applications in healthcare

Patient safety and quality of care remain the focus of the smart operating room of the future. Some of the most influential factors with a detrimental effect are related to suboptimal communication among the staff, poor flow of information, staff workload and fatigue, ergonomics and sterility in the operating room. While technological developments constantly transform the operating room layout and the interaction between surgical staff and machinery, a vast array of opportunities arise for the design of systems and approaches, that can enhance patient safety and improve workflow and efficiency. The aim of this research is to develop a real-time gaze-contingent framework towards a "smart" operating suite, that will enhance operator's ergonomics by allowing perceptually-enabled, touchless and natural interaction with the environment. The main feature of the proposed framework is the ability to acquire and utilise the plethora of information provided by the human visual system to allow touchless interaction with medical devices in the operating room. In this thesis, a gaze-guided robotic scrub nurse, a gaze-controlled robotised flexible endoscope and a gaze-guided assistive robotic system are proposed. Firstly, the gaze-guided robotic scrub nurse is presented; surgical teams performed a simulated surgical task with the assistance of a robot scrub nurse, which complements the human scrub nurse in delivery of surgical instruments, following gaze selection by the surgeon. Then, the gaze-controlled robotised flexible endoscope is introduced; experienced endoscopists and novice users performed a simulated examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract using predominately their natural gaze. Finally, a gaze-guided assistive robotic system is presented, which aims to facilitate activities of daily living. The results of this work provide valuable insights into the feasibility of integrating the developed gaze-contingent framework into clinical practice without significant workflow disruptions.Open Acces